Malcolm Rivera
The US Constitution, which outlines the framework for the nation's federal government and its three branches, was signed by 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. These delegates, representing 12 of the 13 states, endorsed the Constitution drafted during the four-month-long convention. Notable signatories include Benjamin Franklin, the oldest signer at 81, and Jonathan Dayton, the youngest at 26. Additionally, Roger Sherman is the only person to have signed all four founding documents: the Articles of Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution.
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What You'll Learn
The Signing of the United States Constitution
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing marked the end of a four-month-long Constitutional Convention, during which a new form of republican government was devised to replace the weak central government established by the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution laid out the framework for the nation's federal government and defined how its three branches—the legislative, executive, and judicial—would function.
Of the 74 individuals chosen to attend the Constitutional Convention, 55 delegates participated, and 39 signed the final document. The delegates represented 12 of the 13 original states, with Rhode Island being the only state that declined to send delegates. The signatories included individuals with experience in local, colonial, and state governments, and virtually all of them had taken part in the American Revolution. Additionally, seven of the signatories had signed the Declaration of Independence, and thirty had served on active military duty.
The signing of the Constitution was preceded by intense and lengthy debates, with delegates working to address the needs and concerns of the 12 states they represented. The final document included amendments and compromises that were crucial to gaining the support of the delegations from each state. For example, when the Constitution failed to include provisions for the smaller states, the Delaware delegation threatened to walk out. To address this, George Read proposed abolishing individual state governments and establishing a central government, an idea that was too extreme for even his fellow delegates to support.
Despite their reservations, the delegates ultimately endorsed the Constitution. Benjamin Franklin, who was 81 years old at the time and had to be carried to the sessions in a sedan chair due to his infirmity, played a pivotal role in gaining support for the Constitution. In his final great speech, Franklin acknowledged the imperfections of the document but argued for its acceptance, stating, "There are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them." He added, "I expect no better and because I am not sure that it is not the best." Following Franklin's speech, the motion to sign the Constitution was approved by 10 of the state delegations.
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The delegates who signed
The US Constitution was signed by 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, out of 55 who attended. The delegates represented 12 of the 13 states, with Rhode Island refusing to send delegates. The delegates who signed the document had a range of backgrounds, with most having taken part in the American Revolution, and many having served in the Continental forces. Several had also signed the Declaration of Independence.
The youngest signer was 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton, and the oldest was 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin, who was so infirm that he had to be carried to sessions in a sedan chair. Other notable signatories include George Washington, known as the "Father of the Country", and Roger Sherman, the only person to have signed all four of the Articles of Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution.
Several delegates left before the signing ceremony and three of those who remained refused to sign. One of these was Caleb Strong, a lawyer and politician who disagreed with the use of an electoral college to elect the president. Another was George Mason of Virginia, who, along with other "Anti-Federalists", preferred the decentralised nature of the Articles of Confederation as a check on the power of the central government.
The signing of the Constitution took place on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The document was then carried to Congress in New York City by William Jackson, the convention's secretary.
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The delegates who didn't sign
The US Constitution was signed by 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states. Rhode Island did not send any delegates to the convention. Of the 74 delegates chosen, 55 attended, and 13 of them dropped out, either for personal reasons or in protest over decisions made during the deliberations.
Three of the 42 delegates who remained at the convention refused to sign. The delegates who did not sign the Constitution include:
- Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts
- George Mason of Virginia
- Edmund J. Randolph
Other individuals who were appointed to the convention but did not attend include Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock.
Caleb Strong of Massachusetts also left the convention early due to his wife's ill health and did not sign the document, but he supported the Constitution at the Massachusetts ratifying convention. Strong opposed the Constitution because it did not contain a Bill of Rights, and he disagreed with the delegates' decision to use an electoral college to elect a president rather than a legislative body.
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The legacy of the Continental and Confederation Congresses
The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies with some executive functions for the Thirteen Colonies of Great Britain in North America and the newly declared United States. The First and Second Continental Congresses met between 1774 and 1781, and the Congress of the Confederation of 1781–1789 followed. The First Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia in response to escalating tensions between the colonies and Britain, which resulted in the passage of the Intolerable Acts by the British Parliament. The Second Continental Congress served as the provisional government of the U.S. during the Revolutionary War and played a crucial role in declaring America's independence from Britain in 1776.
The Continental Congresses faced challenges in funding and supplying the war effort due to a lack of coercive power and an inadequate revenue-raising mechanism. This led to the development of the Articles of Confederation, which came into force in 1781 and established a unicameral governing body composed of delegates from the states. However, the Articles proved inadequate in addressing the nation's post-war difficulties, including financial crises, interstate rivalries, and domestic insurrection.
The Continental and Confederation Congresses were replaced by the U.S. Constitution in 1789, which provided a more robust framework for the federal government and addressed the limitations of the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution was signed by 39 delegates, representing 12 states, and laid out the structure and functions of the three branches of the U.S. government: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The signing of the Constitution marked a pivotal moment in the history of the United States, establishing a more durable and effective system of government.
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The signing location and date
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Independence Hall was also the meeting place of Congress and where the Declaration of Independence was signed. The signing of the US Constitution occurred during the Constitutional Convention, which lasted four months.
Independence Hall, originally known as the Pennsylvania State House, was where 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention endorsed the Constitution. These 39 delegates represented 12 states, with Rhode Island being the only state that did not send any delegates. Of the 74 delegates who were chosen, 55 attended, and 39 signed the document. Several attendees left before the signing ceremony, and three of the 42 who remained refused to sign.
The delegates who signed the Constitution represented a cross-section of 18th-century American leadership, with individuals having experience in local, colonial, and state governments. Virtually every signer had participated in the American Revolution, and at least 29 had served in the Continental forces, most of them in positions of command.
The signing of the US Constitution was a significant event in the country's history, as it laid out the framework for the nation's federal government and delineated the functions of its three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The document was dated "the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord" and was submitted to the Congress of the Confederation in New York City within three days of its signing.
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Frequently asked questions
39 delegates signed the US Constitution.
Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, was the youngest signer.
Benjamin Franklin, aged 81, was the oldest signer.
William Jackson.
Roger Sherman.
